Lagos APC Members Allege Plot to Impose Candidates, Demand Direct Primaries

Sunday Ehigiator

A group of aggrieved members of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over an alleged plan by some party leaders to impose candidates ahead of forthcoming legislative elections.

In a statement signed yesterday by one Mr. Tunde Samson on behalf of ‘concerned and vigilant members’, the group accused prominent party figures, including James Faleke, Cornelius Ojelabi, and Mutiu Are, of holding clandestine meetings to allegedly draw up a predetermined list of candidates for the House of Representatives and the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The group claimed the meetings were being held at a private residence, describing the move as a “brazen conspiracy” aimed at undermining the party’s commitment to internal democracy through direct primaries.

According to the statement, “This stands in direct violation of the party’s unequivocal commitment to direct primaries. It is nothing short of a calculated assault on internal democracy and an insult to the collective intelligence and rights of party members.”

The aggrieved members warned that they would resist any attempt to impose candidates, insisting that Lagos APC “is not the private estate of a privileged few” and should not be reduced to “a playground for political manipulation and backdoor arrangements.”

They also referenced past controversies surrounding local government elections in the state, alleging that previous processes were marred by imposition and irregularities, which they vowed would not be allowed to recur.

The statement further called the attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to intervene and ensure adherence to democratic principles within the party.

The group noted that Tinubu himself participated in party primaries, describing him as “a thorough democrat and an unyielding advocate of free, fair, and transparent primaries.”

Issuing what it described as a “final warning,” the group cautioned that any attempt to undermine due process could trigger serious consequences within the party.

“There must be free, fair, and transparent primaries. Anything short of this will be fiercely contested,” the statement added.

Efforts to reach the accused party leaders for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.